European Longboarders and Juniors to Launch their 2018 Season in Espinho.

A regular stop on the European Junior tour for the past four years, Espinho will take over its neighbor Gaia's longboard division in 2018 and host both events in a ten-day surfing meet with the Old Continent's best athletes.

Longboarders will take it to the lineup first at the Men's and Women's Longboard Pro Espinho on the opening weekend and have to adapt to the new location. For the past two years, they've been competing just up the road, a mere twelve kilometers North and will now join the main scene in Espinho, where a big structure in the city's heart brings much larger crowds to the show.

People line up on the Praia de Baia promenade to watch the contest.WSL / Laurent Masurel

An international field will most likely show up once again and Europe's best will lead the way, with the Delpero brothers Antoine and Edouard as well as multi-European champion Alice Lemoigne expected to take command.

The juniors, understand under-18 surfers, will own the lineup from the Wednesday onwards for the Men's and Women's Junior Pro Espinho, for a fifth edition of the Portuguese event. And with a lot of the past champions already graduated to the Qualifying Series, the door is wide open for a new generation of talents to swoop in and make their mark on the 2018 European season.

The defending champion, France's Marco Mignot will defend his title in Espinho.WSL / Lodin

The beach breaks of praia de Baia have consistently delivered super fun conditions with clean A-frame peaks and the potential for an epic right-hander off the main break wall if a large swell presents itself.

Tune in from March 17-24, 2018 and check out all the photos, videos and updates right here!